I will confess before I even begin this post that I know almost nothing about American politics, or at least I know little enough that I couldn't begin to defend what I am about to say with any degree of real knowledge, hell I struggle with the minutiae of my own countries governmental carrying's-on let alone that of another but, as I haven't been able to turn on the news or open a paper without coming face to face with Obama or McCain for months, I feel I have some small entitlement to have an opinion, albeit poorly formed in the eyes of anyone politically savvy.So, feel free to shoot me down in flames but know that I can't argue back with any alacrity, I am not 'Joe Plumber' (incidentally check out this amusing little faux pas) but I am Jane Doe and as such my limited knowledge is probably not unusual, there are alot of Jane Does out there, most of them have a vote (you might argue they shouldn't but they do) and as a consequence they will vote on issues probably not up there at the top of the political pundits' lists.
My vote if I had one, Obama, no contest! My reasons? The man is charismatic, bright and extremely clever, he is forward thinking, appears to live on the same planet as the rest of us, he is on the opposite side to the current administration, which for me can only to be a good thing, if for no other reason than the Iraq debacle, he hasn't bought in an Alaskan bimbo with a twitch in her at eye to try and inject some interest into his campaign at the last moment and he is black.....and it is long overdue that a western power had a black president!
So...my opinion, as is evident, might not be based in heavy duty politics but it is an opinion and probably many with a vote know little more than I do and will place their cross on the basis of a only few, perhaps emotionally motivated points.
If in November Barack Obama becomes the first black president of the United States I for one will be cheering loudly at the outcome of the first American presidential race that has held any interest for me whatsoever and I will be hoping that just maybe, whilst it doesn't go the whole way, it is a step in the right direction and that even Dr Martin Luther King might just be raising a small smile!
20 Comments:
I'm the Bizza, and I approve of this message.
I'm not convinced about any candidate being a nice guy. It's been said before: the desire to become a politician should be enough to prevent you from ever becoming one.
the bizza: Cool :o)
Punctuation: You have a good point but there are politicians regardless and whilst Obama may not be a 'nice guy'..IMO he is the 'nicest' (for want of a more appropriate word) guy ;o)
You said it real good!
I was among the undecided up until a certain event pushed me over the edge. While I liked many of Obama's ideas, save for a few points of his health care plans, and raising takes on those making $250,000, (I don't think that is going to help, even if he is able enact a middle-class tax cut.) McCain does have a record of going against his party on many an occasion.
Then IT happened: McCain chose that unqualified moose-shooter from up north, and that is when I realized McCain didn't give a crap about anything else but winning. (Not saying Obama doesn't either, but at least his VP choice was sensible.) It was painfully obvious that all McCain wanted was a chance to say "See, we made history too!"
Also, the more I looked over McCain's ideas, the more I realized how unpalatable they were, especially his $5,000 tax credit for health care. It is unworkable, as he is planning other changes that will essentially negate the tax credit. At least Obama is offering the idea of some sort of universal health care along with private insurance. That appeals to me more than say, the Canadian system, where private insurance, with the exception of dental, I believe, is illegal.
In short, after reviewing both of their ideas, I think Obama will do just fine. The big test is even more than the Presidency, but which way Congress goes. If Obama wins, and the Democrats get control of the House and Senate, then things will actually get done. If the party in the White House differs from who is in control of Congress, then we are back to the the old stalemate of us against them.
So Obama gets my vote, historical significances aside.
Jane, with no malice intended to your opinion, and no intent to create a dust-up on your blog, I have responded to colleagues with the same opinion thus: Obamba - good choice, if your taste in politicians runs to well-spoken, good looking guys with virtually no experience, debatable judgement and a socialist agenda. ;o}
I set forth some of my reasons here.
http://held-prisoner-in-hampton-roads.blogspot.com/2008_04_18_archive.html
" a socialist agenda. ;o}"
The only socialists are the Republicans, who have just succeeded in partially nationalizing the banking system. This idea that Obama is a socialist is tired old rhetoric, that does not stand up under scrutiny. I'll take him over a McCain, who so famously commented as to how he "does not give that much thought" about the economy, and his plans for it demonstrate that thoroughly.
From your blog: "I believe, as Ronald Reagan did, and as John Kennedy also proved, that lower taxes encourage growth."
So, tell me how that has panned out under a Republican administration these past 8 years? While no one enjoys higher taxes, (I certainly don't.) the idea that somehow constantly reducing them will spur economic growth is fallacy, especially since there has been no appreciable decrease in spending to offset the tax reduction. So I'm sorry, that and the rest of that argument does not hold water. I'll listen to Warren Buffet on taxes any day of the week over any politician, for that matter. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/27/AR2007062700097.html)
Mr. N. Obviously, I disagree. However, I won't use Jane's blog as a forum for a back and forth between us. That's what our personal blogs are for.
Daisy: Thank you :o)
Bulldog/MrNighttime: Feel free, you never know I might learn something :o)
Bulldog - You're right, we shouldn't use the comments box as a sparring match, unless Jane intends to sell tickets, and we get a cut. ;-)
That said, I suspect we could go back and forth, each with our own points of view, and the most we will accomplish is to agree to disagree. We'll see what happens in 16 days, and take it from there.
Jane, I'm with you. I am not well-informed about American politics either, though OH follows it and always has done, and does have an understanding so I've picked up a little from him.
But it seems to me that almost anything is better than the current administration, and I too, am deeply suspicious of Palin. She is scary!
Oh this place is Fun Fun Fun :o)
Mr.NM/Bully... Who cares, this is America were talking about.... So as we all know (or at least us outsiders do), come 2009 after Obama has been sworn in, an American(s) will take it upon himself to exerise his rights.
Yes, his rights to own a "semi/hi-velocity/night vision" all singing; all dancing' just squeeze; fire arm.
So while the CIA are preparing for a good old fashioned style lynching somewhere, located deep within the CD Rom Depository, our Rambo'esk average Joe; wearing his white pointy hat; smoking the odd Malborogh, will take the 'Black-Arab' down, so the land of the free can be free again...
See everyone's a winner, black president, white politics :O) Well winners accept film lovers who'll get another boring Oliver Stone film to watch out of it... (Yawn)
Ciao Ciao
Bulldog: No malice assumed :o) I read your link and very informative it was, however, my mind isn't changed and a 'socialist agenda' sits more comfortably with me than the current offering.....accepting of course my previously admitted limited political knowledge.
MrNighttime: Agreed, it was the moose shooter that really ended McCain for me....I'm sure she is a very nice woman but hey....if we are talking lack of experience.....
Jay:Ditto to that.
Fletch: I sincerely hope you are very wrong but I suspect that such a tragedy is a possibility :o( ....and for that fact alone Obama has great courage IMO!
Gina: You have a very good point! He isn't actually black, he is mixed race and we all seem to overlook that somehow, yourself excluded of course.
Whatever his ethnic origins are it shouldn't matter a jot if he is the right guy for the job..... but sadly it does matter and maybe the fact that we are merrily referring to him as 'black' proves that very point! :o(
you've been tagged!
The last time Americans voted on the basis of charisma, we got Bill Clinton. Twice. 'Nuff said.
Last word . . .
All you folks in the UK, please go to your local polling place and vote for Obama as often as you are allowed.
This has been a public service announcement.
Bulldog: Ah, if only...I do think though that given the particular political relationship between our countries and the impact of US politics on the UK, we are entitled to an opinion albeit in my case, as I already admitted, not a particularly well informed one....but then that was my original point, was it not?
Jane,
Don't feel lonesome. Fully half the people in the US know less about the candidates than you do. :o}
We're crossing fingers.
`S
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